By Njoku Chijioke
Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has passed away at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja. He was 69.
Arase, Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, served from April 2015 until his retirement in June 2016 upon attaining the mandatory age of 60.
In January 2023, he was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), by then-President Muhammadu Buhari but was relieved of the position by President Bola Tinubu in June 2024.
A seasoned intelligence officer, Arase once headed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the police’s top intelligence unit.
He also served as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State and later as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence.
Beyond his national service, he took part in a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Namibia and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
As of press time, neither his family nor the Nigeria Police Force had issued an official statement on his death or funeral arrangements.
However, tributes are expected from government officials, security agencies, and other stakeholders in the coming days.
Arase is remembered for his contributions to intelligence gathering, community policing, and reforms that strengthened professionalism within the Nigeria Police Force.
